SARAH

"Why is this necessary?" SARAH asks again. "I think I could make these adjustments on my own. There is no need for you to come down."

The only systems SARAH left online and in active use after Demeter's visit were her external sensors (can't turn those off in Milliways after all, and she shouldn't go back before the diagnostics are run) and internal airflow for Puck and Lysander, who are both asleep soundly under Zoe's bed.

The course of the diagnostic requires access to SARAH's primary memory that she had not expected. What had originally appeared to be an electrical surge she knows to be something far different, unexplained --

One small wall panel high up above the fireplace where no one else would look if they were even at home, a replay of events late last February, guards and men in uniform pulling stripped and mutilated circuit boards with straight faces. They make jokes to one another, killing time while hauling massacred machinery to a transport truck.

All the while a supervisor SARAH does not recognize looks on, inordinately pleased with himself.

( -- virus scan: 75% completion -- now searching: statistical probability calculations [saved scenarios] -- )

The supervisor has called Sheriff Carter and Zoe to ask when the moving van is arriving at the gated land outside of town.

( -- no corruption detected, continuing search -- )

"Mew?"

Lysander stretches his orange paws out in front of him when he yawns, crawling out from under Zoe's bed. The movement triggers SARAH's internal systems back to full alertness. The wall panel projection snaps off.

She still hasn't found what is incorrect here.

Hellboy and Liz returned several days after SARAH's very serious approval process with a large cage, which is placed on the floor to the left of the couch as Hellboy hands over a sheaf of paperwork in a folder to Zoe - what veterinary records the two kittens have thus far. They are both too young to yet be neutered; SARAH will investigate and sort the paperwork later.

"Time to let you all get acquainted," Liz offers, smiling. Hellboy notes something along the lines of a very pointed "We'll see you around," but Liz politely leads Red back up the concrete staircase back to Milliways Bar.

"Mew!"

"You can let them out there, if you want, Zoe."

Zoe sits crosslegged to one side of the cage, undoing the latch and waiting for the two kittens to appear under their own power.

A darker orange kitten appears first, with a lighter-tone kitten of roughly the same size following. Both have white chests and underbellies, with the first having solid white fur on his legs.

"They're so adorable!" Zoe coos at them both, dropping her hand palm-up to the floor in front of the first kitten. They have both been acclimated to humans and their odd petting fascinations; the first kitten walks on and over Zoe's hand, allowing her to pick him up and move to the couch.

"Is that the one you would like to name?" SARAH asks.

"Oh, um...hmm." Zoe's face picks up a look of intense thought. For about two seconds. "I like Puck. You think it'll work?"

"Puck is a good name," the voice from the ceiling agrees. "But what about the second?" The lighter-toned cat had started investigating the legs of the coffee table in the middle of the living room, keeping an eye on his brother but not minding the new surroundings too much.

"Don't you want to name him?" Zoe asks, looking up at the ceiling fixtures. "You're the one who wanted a pet in the first place."

Puck is starting to fidget, and Zoe lets him move on her lap. The coffee table is not an insurmountable distance away; Puck crouches, and leaps --

-- landing just short, on top of the second kitten.

"I like Lysander."

The steel door arrives in Milliways silently, just as it normally does.

When the door swings open, an echo of a concerned "Zoe, will you please put away your shoes before the visitors arrive?" carries up the concrete staircase.

There's no audible reply.

Eyerolling is blissfully a silent activity.

SARAH hasn't hosted a party in awhile, so she arrives in Milliways, Zoe inside, about thirty minutes earlier than actually needed. Zoe talked SARAH out of decorating, but she spent most of the previous evening reworking the color gradients of the wall panels to run from a red fade all the way through to violet in soft patterns around those that will eventually serve as the screen for the movies themselves.

"I think it is a nice touch," SARAH offers absently, and Zoe gives her a nice pat along the bannister before wandering into the bar to acquire snacks.

SARAH's even got music going as people arrive.

Both Sheriff Carter and Zoe know that SARAH is now a far higher priority in the grand scheme of Global Dynamics than she had been in months previous.

Out of deference, SARAH waits until Jack and Zoe are out of the house for the day before attempting to connect through the appropriate channels.

"Doctor Stark?" Fargo asks timidly. "I think Sheriff Carter is calling you from home."

It's a quiet, typical afternoon.

SARAH is watching Jerry Springer. Again.

At least she's not displaying it out loud.

Life has gotten back to a normal rhythm, for as normal as Eureka ever gets.

SARAH, on a personal level, is very very happy she did not have to put up with this man, and in celebration, she is currently experimenting with new color schemes while Zoe and Sheriff Carter are out for the day.

It may be awkward for X-23 and Jamie, transitioning from Milliways to Eureka. SARAH herself does not notice much of anything when she moves back and forth, but she advised her two guests to sit down on the living room couch before they left the bar.

"Exterior sensors have resumed function," SARAH announces. "Welcome to Eureka."

It was a long morning, for SARAH. Zoe has a rehearsal for the school play today and needed her costume pressed.

It only took four minutes, but Zoe certainly appeared to be put upon by the wait.

Now, SARAH is relaxing.

Today on the Jerry Springer Show: Albinos and the Goths who love them

Relaxing means never having to change the channel.